Melvin millabd middaugh



M. M; MIDDAUGH.

' mas CLAMP. APPLICATION LED SEPT.9. I915- Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

- hvmvr'on M, M M/a'aaay/z A ITORNEYS and State of Florida,

MELVIN MILLARD MIDDAUGH, or TAMPA, FLORIDA.

PIPE-CLAMP,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pa-tented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed September 9, 1915. Serial N 0. 49,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELvIN M. MIDDAUGH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Tampa, in the county of H-illsborough have invented anew and Improved;Pipe-Clamp, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to pipe clamps, and an object thereof is to providea simple, strong, and inexpensive clampformed of a plurality of similarsections which render the clamp flexible. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp thesize of whichcan be varied and the pressure of which on the object it clamps can beevenly adjusted, as the taking-up on the clamp can be made withinpredetermined points of the circumference of the clamp.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the clamp partly insection, showing the sameas applied for clamping a flexible sleeve to a tube; Fig. 2 is a planview thereof; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a clamp link,

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of my invention, itmust be clearly understood that although my clamp is mainly intended forbridge suction pipes, the same can be used as efiiciently for any otherclamping process where a more umform pressure on is desired.

Referring to the drawings, the clamp is formed of a plurality of links 4each havmg a bifurcated end 5 into which the end of the adjacent link isadapted to fit easlly. The links are maintained in engagement by wedgeshaped keys 6 passing through elongated openings 7 formed at the ends ofthe links, longitudinally thereof. By forcing the keys into theopenings, the s1z e of the clamp can be varied within the llmlts of thethe object to be clamped opening 7; but by the addition or removal oflinks the diameter -of the clamp may be changed to a great extent. Thewidth of the keys at the upper edge is slightly greater than the lengthof the opening 7, so that the keys cannot'drop out because of the largerend, All of the keys 6, with the exception are provided with cotter pins8 toprevent their loss. The key, without theof one,

that my clamp is flexible, due to the plurality of the links forming it,and that the pressure of the clamp on the object can beuniformly appliedto the object by forcing each of the keys 6 into the links, therebyapplying pressure at each link. This is of great advantage when holdingtogether sections of building-up columns while the columns are formed. g

I claim:

In a clamp of the class described, a plurality of links each having abifurcated end engaging the end of the adjacent link, said links havingopenings in the ends thereof adapted to register. and wedge-shaped keysengaging the registering openings whereby the links are connected, eachof said links having a reduced portion on the outer side thereof betweenits ends disposed transversely of the link, whereby the link is adaptedto give at the reduced portions, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.' V

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MEL IN MILLARD MIDDAUGH.

Witnesses:

J. A. OBmnn, J. W. HERMAN, Jr.

